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ABOUT THE IHR

Our Mission and Record

The Institute for Historical Review is an independent educational research and publishing center that works to promote peace, understanding and justice through greater public awareness of the past, and especially socially-politically relevant aspects of twentieth-century history. We strive in particular to increase understanding of the causes, nature and consequences of war and conflict. We vigorously defend freedom of speech and freedom of historical inquiry.

Through books, booklets, leaflets, audio and video discs, broadcast interviews, meetings, conferences, mailings, websites and e-mail, we work to provide factual information and sound perspective on US foreign policy, World War Two, the Israel-Palestine conflict, Middle East history, the Jewish-Zionist role in cultural and political life, the "Holocaust" remembrance campaign, war propaganda, and much more.

The Institute's director is Mark Weber, a historian, lecturer, current affairs analyst and author. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he was educated in the US and Europe. He holds a Master's degree in modern European history from Indiana University.

The IHR continues the tradition of historical revisionism pioneered by distinguished historians such as Harry Elmer Barnes, A.J.P. Taylor, Charles Tansill, Paul Rassinier and William H. Chamberlin. It strives, in the words of Barnes, to "bring history into accord with the facts."

Founded in 1978, the IHR is non-partisan, non-ideological, and non-sectarian. Our offices are located in Orange County, southern California.

Our work is funded through sales of books, booklets, discs and leaflets, and, more importantly, through donations from men and women across the US and in many other countries.

The IHR operates as an entity of "Legion for the Survival of Freedom," a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1952 and controlled by a responsible board of directors. It is recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) public interest, not-for-profit, tax exempt enterprise. Donations to the IHR are tax-deductible.

Outreach and Impact

The Institute's website - www.ihr.org -- routinely reaches large numbers of visitors across the US and around the world. It attracts many more visitors than the sites of much larger and better funded organizations. The site is regularly updated with news and comment items from around the world, and with reports on the Institute's work. With its large library and archive, the site also serves as a valuable information and education center.

Among the items that can be downloaded from the Institute's website are many articles and reviews from the IHR's Journal of Historical Review (published 1980-2002) covering a wide range of historical, political, current affairs and cultural topics. (And all Journal issues, with the complete text of every item, are available on a single computer-readable disc.)

Through the internet, IHR essays, reviews and other writings are routinely distributed - not only by us, but by many others as well -- to countless thousands around the world, or are posted on other websites, including in translation in other languages -- reaching decision-makers, journalists, activists and educators across the US and around the globe

Through its media work and broadcast interviews, the IHR regularly reaches many tens of thousands of listeners and viewers in the US and overseas. (Recordings of some broadcasts and interviews can be downloaded from the IHR website's"Audio Archive" section.)

Over the years the IHR has published many books, booklets, leaflets and audio and video recordings. In addition to its own titles, the IHR distributes worthwhile books issued by other publishers. Week by week, month after month, the IHR distributes more books, booklets, discs and flyers, and on a wider range of topics, than any similar center or organization.

Conferences and Meetings

Speakers at IHR conferences and meetings have included:

John Toland, Pulitzer prize-winning American historian, and author of several best-selling works of history.John Sack, veteran journalist, war correspondent, historian and novelist. This Jewish-American writer is the author of nine non-fiction books.Tony Martin, professor of African studies at Wellesley College (Massachusetts).Paul "Pete" McCloskey, former U.S. Congressman (Rep.-Calif.). This U.S. Marine Corps veteran braved enemy fire in Korea, opposed Richard Nixon on Capitol Hill, and spoke out against Israel's violations of U.S. law and the deceit of the Israel-first Anti-Defamation League.Hideo Miki, professor at Japan's National Defense Academy and retired Lieutenant General of Japan's Self-Defense Forces.Tom Sunic, author, scholar and former political science professor and diplomat.James J. Martin, an American historian with a 25-year career as an educator. Author of several meticulously researched historical studies.Joseph Sobran, author, lecturer, and nationally-syndicated columnist.David Irving, British historian and author of numerous bestselling works.John Bennett, Australian civil liberties attorney and activist, and president of the Australian Civil Liberties Union.

A Target of Bigotry

Predictably, we have come under fire from hostile sectarian groups that regard the IHR as harmful to their interests. Zionist groups such as the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League routinely smear the IHR, attacking us as a "hate group" or dismissing us as a "Holocaust denial" organization.

In fact, the IHR steadfastly opposes bigotry of all kinds. We are proud of the support we have earned from people of the most diverse political views, and racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.

The IHR does not “deny” the Holocaust. Indeed, the IHR as such has no “position” on any specific event or chapter of history, except to promote greater awareness and understanding, and to encourage more objective investigation.

Articles and reviews posted on the IHR website, and presentations given at IHR meetings and conferences, represent a wide range of views. Each writer is responsible for what he or she writes or says. Accordingly, the IHR does not necessarily agree with the content or outlook of posted or distributed items.

One prominent American journalist and author who has looked into the critical claims made about the IHR is John Sack, who is Jewish. He reported on a three-day IHR conference in an article published in the Feb. 2001 issue of Esquire magazine. He rejected as unfounded the often-repeated lie that the IHR and its supporters are "haters" or bigots. He described those who spoke at and attended the IHR conference as "affable, open-minded, intelligent [and] intellectual."

Joseph Sobran, who for years was a nationally syndicated columnist and a National Review senior editor, spoke about the Institute and its director at the 2002 IHR Conference:

"...If I'm 'courageous,' what do you call Mark Weber and the Institute for Historical Review? They have been smeared far worse than I have; moreover, they have been seriously threatened with death. Their offices have been firebombed. Do they at least get credit for courage? Not at all. They remain almost universally vilified. When I met Mark, many years ago, I expected to meet a raving Jew-hating fanatic, such being the generic reputation of 'Holocaust deniers.' I was immediately and subsequently impressed to find that he was just the opposite: a mild-mannered, good-humored, witty, scholarly man who habitually spoke with restraint and measure, even about enemies who would love to see him dead. The same is true of other members of the Institute. In my many years of acquaintance with them, I have never heard any of them say anything that would strike an unprejudiced listener as unreasonable or bigoted."

The Institute has been a target of authentic hate groups. It has come under repeated assault from the Jewish Defense League -- identified as a terrorist group by the FBI. On July 4, 1984, the JDL destroyed the Institute's office and warehouse in a major arson attack. Estimated property loss was more than $400,000, including tens of thousands of books, rare documents, irreplaceable files and expensive office equipment. This fire-bombing climaxed a months-long campaign by the JDL that included numerous death threats by telephone and mail, extensive property damage, five relatively minor fire bombings, one drive-by shooting and two physical assaults.

For Peace And Understanding

Bitter experience has taught people to be skeptical of the pronouncements of politicians and governments, especially during wartime when official and semi-official propagandists are most busy deceiving the public. As American historian Harry Elmer Barnes put it: "Truth is always the first war casualty. The emotional disturbances and distortions in historical writing are greatest in wartime."

Americans have been misled into one costly, destructive and needless war after another. For example, in the months leading up to the 2003 US attack against Iraq, government officials and much of the media deceived the public to justify the invasion and occupation of that country.

Powerful interests -- including politicians and the major media -- often distort the historical record for self-serving reasons. Textbooks, motion pictures and television routinely present history in a slanted and partisan way. As George Orwell aptly noted in his classic Nineteen Eighty-Four: "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past."

An awareness of factual history is essential to an understanding of the great issues of our age. Especially during these troubled times, the work of the IHR in countering socially harmful historical lies, war propaganda, censorship and intellectual oppression is urgently important.